EE Times Japan to launch in July

TOKYO  Targeting one of the largest electronics markets in the world, EE Times' new sister magazine, EE Times Japan, will begin publishing in July.

EE Times Japan will be published monthly by E2 Publishing Corp., based here. The company licenses EE Times' content and will deliver staff-written local stories each month.

The publication is being launched as Japan's engineering market girds for rapid technology innovation, more intense global competition and concerns about job security as lifetime employment collapses. Current electronics industry and technology media in Japan do not fully provide the information they need, according to Masaya Ishida, publisher of EE Times Japan. Consequently, less than 20 percent of total 450,000 engineers in Japan subscribe to professional journals, he said.

Taking advantage of its monthly frequency, EE Times Japan will focus on more in-depth technology information, especially on versatile technologies that work building blocks for every product, said Katsumi Yamashita, editor-in-chief.

E2 Publishing intends to launch EE Times Japan with 42,000 subscribers, one of largest subscriber bases in the Japanese electronics publishing industry.

"That should be a strong support tool for Japanese engineers," said Minoru Morio, a Sony advisor. Shozo Sugiguchi, president of Japan unit of Analog Devices added, "EE Times is highly valued in the United States. I welcome the launch of EE Times Japan."

Tetsuya Iizuka, founder and chief executive of Japanese venture company Thine Electronics Inc., said, "Japan's electronics industry is facing a difficult situation. Engineers are becoming really important, and I welcome EE Times' focus on people in electronics in Japan," he said.

EE Times Japan will also operate in tandem with its Web site, which will begin publishing in Japanese by late April.